


Deadfall

by luemeldane



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Attempted Seduction, Backfiring scheme, Enemies to Lovers, Falling In Love, Friends to Lovers, Games, Gwaine/Leon - Freeform, M/M, Scheming Gwaine, Slow Build, leon - Freeform, unexpected love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-16
Updated: 2017-07-09
Packaged: 2018-10-06 06:02:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10327358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/luemeldane/pseuds/luemeldane
Summary: "There was something incredibly satisfying about discovering that even a self-righteous stuck up bastard like Leon was betrayed by his own sinful desires, to know that despite his moralistic bravado, he was as drawn to the pleasures of the flesh as the next man. But the thing that really got Gwaine beaming with smugness was the fact that even though Leon disapproved everything about his personality, he still couldn't help being attracted to his physique. "Gwaine discovers a new piece of information about the First Knight of Camelot and plans to use it to avenge his constantly wounded pride. Will it work as he expects or will it crush him instead?





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This story was not revised. I'm a brazilian writer and english is not my first language. If you find (which you probably will) any mistakes, please let me know so I can both correct it and improve my english-writing skills! Also, I have no clue about how to write in archaic english. Please, be merciful with me and imagine that the vocabulary fits the medieval era where the story is set.
> 
> About the story itself, all I have to say is that Gwaine and Leon are the kind of characters that can make such an interesting romantic plot that I just couldn't help myself. So, here it is!
> 
> I planned on doing a one-shot, but it would be huge and it would take me too long, because I don't have that much time to write during my daily routine. Doing a multi-chapter story seemed a better option because I don’t have to wait ages to share my work and I also can make a more complex story, adding details and depth to the plot without making it tiresome. 
> 
> I hope you all enjoy this as much as I did while writing. If you do, please let me know. If you don’t, let me know too, it’s just as important! Remember, feedback feeds the soul of the writer and the writing speed and quality depends on a well nurtured soul!

Gwaine watched with interest as Sir Leon, the almighty, reprimanded a young knight on the practice field. As always, the scolding was not directed to the boy’s technique or ability with the sword - which, truth be told, were atrocious - but to his _attitude_. Gwaine mentally scowled at the word, imagining it in his head with the stone cold tone of voice and the heavy amount of contempt it always carried when the blond directed it towards him. The poor thing was only having fun during his fight, as every man should, but to Sir First Knight it was inadmissible. Any display of joy or contentment was unbecoming of a noble warrior. Anger started to boil in his guts and he looked away.

The brunette was fairly certain that Leon hated him. The man had proved that in every way short of outright saying it to Gwaine’s face. He treated Gwaine with the sort of indifference reserved only for people you can’t stand to be around, but can’t afford to send away either. Because one thing was true: Leon recognized, sort of respected and definitely understood the importance of Gwaine’s strength to Camelot. So, in the name of the Kingdom, he put up with Gwaine’s antics and tried to be as cordial as possible with the man. Sometimes, however, Gwaine went too far. Then, indifference was replaced by anger and Leon would shout furiously and glare deadly at the younger, as if he was the most despicable man in existence.

Gwaine thrusted the sword he was holding into the ground angrily, although no one noticed. He had just finished his round of fighting the newbies and was sat in the shadow of the only tree around. Arthur never showed up and therefore Merlin didn’t as well. Percival and Elyan had already left. He should leave too. Being alone with Leon and withstanding the man constantly looking down on him was unnerving. But he was too tired and it was too hot. The prospect of crossing the entire field under the scalding sun made him perspire even more and he was already drenched in sweat.

Taking notice of this fact, the brunette decided to strip off his soaked shirt. He was sure Leon would scold him because he was being indecent and that was not the proper behavior of someone who carried the title of Knight of Camelot and blablabla. It never stopped Gwaine and it wouldn’t now, so he proceed to free himself from the garment. As he took it off, he also took his time to stretch his sore muscles, enjoying the sensation of having nothing sticking to his skin. He smiled in contentment and closed his eyes unconsciously. When he opened them, he caught glimpse of a pair of blue eyes who were now glued to his figure and was thrown off for a moment. He expected disdain to be reflected on those translucent orbs, but what he saw couldn’t be farther from it. It was, unmistakably, _desire_.

Leon’s eyes were not looking at his face, but at his bare torso. He was not even bothering to fake it. To the blond’s credit, though, no one who hadn’t know the man for a long time would notice anything different in his serious face. The only thing giving him away were his eyes, which were transfixed on the golden flesh recently exposed. Gwaine, who was well acquainted with a very different kind of look, knew immediately what the intense stare at his body meant.

Oh, boy. The honorable Sir Leon, First Knight of Camelot, fancied his own kind. On top of that, he could be caught in the middle of a summer afternoon ogling no other than the most libertine man to set foot in Camelot.

There was something incredibly satisfying about discovering that even a self-righteous stuck up bastard like Leon was betrayed by his own sinful desires, to know that despite his moralistic bravado, he was as drawn to the pleasures of the flesh as the next man. But the thing that really got Gwaine beaming with smugness was the fact that even though Leon disapproved everything about his personality, he still couldn't help being attracted to his physique.

Gwaine tried vainly to contain the smile that rippled his face from side to side. Up until now, Leon had looked down on him and pointed out even the smallest flaws of his character. But now the brunette got the upper hand. He was so pleased with the situation that he couldn’t help himself. He grabbed the canteen of fresh water that was lying by the tree trunk, took a big gulp to refresh himself and got up, walking towards the blond whose eyes were now carefully watching the training session. The man must have sensed his approach. Even with his back turned, as soon as Gwaine stepped into hearing range, the deep voice reached his ears.

“Put your clothes back on, Sir Gwaine. I’ve already told you that this kind of behavior is unacceptable for a Knight Of Camelot.” The words came, predictably, with the admonitory tone that always unnerved him. But this time Gwaine’s spirit was so lifted that he couldn’t bring himself to care. Quite the contrary. It fueled his smugness even more. He came to a stop purposely too close to Leon’s back, making sure their shoulders were almost brushing.

“But you seemed to have enjoyed watching me undress just a few moments ago.” He pointed out with his voice barely above a whisper but full of malice. That made the taller man turn on his feet to look at him. Gwaine expected to see panic and maybe desperation in those eyes. Surely a man as self-righteous as Leon would be embarrassed and ashamed to be caught in such a compromising position, let alone be called upon it. What he did see, thought, was the usual unflappable serenity of the First Knight. Gwaine’s cockiness faltered. He was not the kind of person to judge someone based on whom their shared their beds with, but most of the people still frowned upon and branded as immoral behavior when two man or two woman laid together. Considering how much Leon spoke about decency and morality, one would expect him to be shaken by Gwaine’s blatant accusation.

“What I think as an individual and my duty as your commander are two different things.” He stated impassively.

“So, as an individual, you do fancy me, eh?” The brunette tried to add valiantly, even if he was caught off guard by the unexpected turn of events. One of Leon’s eyebrows rose in amused incredulity and it worked like a charm to make Gwaine feel small and petty in his attempt to provoke his superior.

“You are a good looking man and as you apparently noticed, I have a particular appreciation for the male form. That’s it. Is this…” His tone suddenly became serious and he waved his hand in the space between them, as if to indicate the general context of their conversation “... a problem, Sir Gwaine?”

Out of habit, being someone who always had a witty response in the tip of his tongue, the brunette immediately opened his mouth to give an answer, but realized he didn’t have any. He was no stranger to the attraction between men. Even though he had never laid with another man and neither desired to do so, over all the years he wandered through the world he had met a fair amount of people who were attracted to the same sex. Some of them became real good friends and some of them became real bad enemies, but never due to their private choices. So, in general, he had no problem with Leon’s sexuality. But then again, it was Leon - the person who constantly made Gwaine feel like a lesser human being just for being the way he was. The man woke up in the younger a wild desire to mess him up. He wanted to see the Great Sir Leon shaken out of his impassivity. He wanted to make him feel the same inadequateness he caused in the rest of the people. In short, he wanted to turn the table - to be the one looking down on the blond for once.

With this objective in mind, Gwaine had an internal epiphany. If censoring Leon’s sexual desires was ineffective, he had to take the counter route: yield to them and use the blond’s attraction in his favor. He had to play his cards right until Leon was stumbling over his own feelings by himself. Feeling a sudden rush of determination, Gwaine’s voice finally came out.

“Oh, no! Not a problem. Quite the contrary, really.” He said slyly and winked at his commander, watching with delight as both of his eyebrows lifted up in surprise. Having nothing more to say, he turned his back to the other man and walked away to the place where he left his sword and shirt.

He picked them up from the ground and looked at Leon defiantly for the last time before heading to the castle, still gloriously half naked. Suddenly, the heat of the sun against his skin felt pleasurable instead of insufferable. He could feel the blue eyes following him even without looking. It made him feel so full of himself that he had to make an effort not to bounce in his steps through the field.

All in all, it was a good day.


	2. First move: Fail

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gwaine make the first move. It doesn't go as he expected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will be a slow burn. There is more interesting things to come. This one is just me preparing the ground. Hold tight with me in this journey!
> 
> And this is not beta-ed, so please, let me knowif you see any mistakes!

The door of the The Rising Sun banged loudly against the stone wall after Gwaine all but kicked it open and ran inside. A violent storm befell over Camelot and it had been roaring for the last couple of hours, coincidentally the ones in which Gwaine had watch duty. The second his shift ended, he rushed to the tavern seeking a safe place and a good wine to warm himself up after standing for so long under the pouring rain and against the incredibly cold wind. Finally stepping into the fireplace-heated ambient was an immense relief. It felt like the blood began to run again inside of his soaking wet and freezing body. 

As soon as he closed the door behind his back and securely separated himself from the downpouring world outside, he couldn’t resist the temptation to shook his whole body and consequently hurl big waterdrops just about everywhere in a 6ft radius from where he stood. It earned a few growls and slurs of protest from the drunkards around, too far gone by that point to do or say anything else. Over the little ruckus that followed his arrival, a noise caught his attention due to its dissonance with the general feeling expressed by the occupants of the room: a low chuckle. He quickly turned his head to the right, where he found no other than Sir Leon seated at a corner table with a jug in front of him. His elbows were propped over the wooden surface and one of his fists was balled and pressed against his mouth in a vain attempt to hide the small smile that bended his lips. 

“You look like a dog shaking yourself like this.” The blond said when he noticed Gwaine’s stare. 

For a fraction of a second, the brunette opened his mouth to voice a spiteful response even though there was no malice in the other’s words. Quite the opposite, in fact. There was a  hint of playfulness in his manners, but Gwaine was so used to the caustic kind of interaction between them that his mouth runned practically on itself. However, before he could say anything, he remembered the events of two days ago and the great discovery he made about the First Knight. His expression morphed into a sultry one.

In the meantime between their exchange in the practice field and the present moment, Gwaine had enough time to carefully craft a plan about how to use the new information he got on his superior. It might be a little childish of him to be seeking revenge against someone who was, if not a friend, at least a fellow knight who fought for the same side. Still, Leon deserved to get a little bit of the shit he gave everyone else. Also, Camelot has been very peaceful in the last months and Gwaine was bored. Playing this game would be not only satisfactory, but also entertaining. So he decided that he, Sir Gwaine, The Most Libertine Man in Camelot would seduce Sir Leon,The Almighty Can-Do-No-Wrong First Knight of the Kingdom. It was genius, really. What could possibly go awry in this scheme? 

It was not like he was going to actually  _ do  _ anything with the man. Gwaine didn’t feel any attraction for the same sex. If pressed hard enough he would admit that he had a curiosity about what could be so alluring in the romance and physical relationship between men that led some of his friends down that path. But the thought of actually doing it was ludicrous. His endgame in the charade he was building was to make Leon fall in lust - not in love, obviously - despite how much the man criticized him and throw it back at the blond’s face. Not only that Gwaine was good enough, but also that Leon had his own flaws. In short, he wanted to take away the moral higher ground the older man thought he had.

Hence, the seductive smile that was presently gracing his face. 

“Oh! Who would have thought that the honorable Sir Leon would be in the tavern at such an hour!” He said finally, voice matching his visage, and walked towards the corner to sit in front of the other man, who lifted a suspicious eyebrow.

“I was going back to the castle after my designated patrols were over. But then it started to rain and I came here for shelter and to occupy myself until the weather calmed down. I had no luck with that, as you must know, judging by your actual condition…” Leon pondered, taking a casual sip at his drink. 

“Yeah, it’s getting uglier and uglier.” He commented, casting a quick glance at the recently closed door before turning back his attention. “But of course you wouldn’t be here for the same reasons all of us mere mortals do. To get drunk and get pleasure.”

“I’m drinking, am I not?” The blond asked nonchalantly. 

“And are you pleased?”

“Quite.” He smiled softly, not diverting his look from Gwaine’s face. It was disconcerting enough to see the flirtatious side of his commander, let alone have it direct towards himself. Against any common sense, Gwaine felt his cheeks heat up and looked away. 

They fell into a comfortable silence, broken only by the barmaid that came to ask if Gwaine wanted anything to drink. He ordered a jug of wine that was promptly served. The first gulp he took could only be described as magnificent. Distracted by the conversation with Leon, he had forgotten about how cold he was until an involuntary shiver shook his body. 

“Are you alright?” The movement didn’t go past Leon’s attentive eyes, which became slightly worried at the sight. 

“Will be soon enough.” The answer came accompanied by one last big swig on the wine. As Gwaine lifted his hand to signal to the barmaid that he wanted a fix, the other man shook his head. 

“Charming.” He said sarcastically. Giving one more sharp look at his fellow knight, Leon turned around and grabbed the cloak he had carefully placed at the back of his chair. It was the one always wore when he patrolled on cold nights, since it was heavier and thicker than his uniform cape. “Here, take this.” He handed the garment to the brunette sitting in front of him, who raised his eyebrows skeptically. 

“Careful Leon, I’ll think you’re trying to court me.” Gwaine tried to be seductive in his manners, but his smile and tone of voice came out more derisive than anything else. Leon’s expression closed off immediately. 

“I am not.” The deep voice became incredibly serious in a stark contrast with its casualness from just a few seconds ago. And maybe, just maybe, the matter-of-factness of the statement stung Gwaine’s pride once more.

“That’s rich coming from the guy who was outright ogling me as I took my shirt off!” The anger that came out with the younger’s words surprised even himself. It was irritating, really. How could Leon react as if the thought of having any kind of interest in Gwaine was absurd after the clearly lustful way he looked at the man just a couple of days ago? 

“Shush!” If Leon’s relaxed demeanor was betrayed by his voice earlier, this time his whole body jerked at the words. He quickly leaned over the table and grabbed Gwaine’s upper arm, pulling him closer, their faces almost touching as they shared an intense and hostile stare. “You have to stop running your mouth without a second thought. I’m not ashamed of who I am, but  _ you know _ it is a problem for most of the people. As the First Knight, I represent all the Knights of Camelot and I won’t have you discrediting our entire Company because of my personal condition. The only person that needs to know already knows and that’s Arthur. He trusts me nevertheless and if you have any problems with it, we can go outside and solve this between the two of us.” The blonde’s voice was barely above a whisper, yet it was full of anger as he all but spit the words through gritted teeth. Gwaine was known for having a special ability to enrage their commander, but he had never seen the man so furious before.

Gwaine might also be well known for his borderline reckless courage, but he was not a fool to keep poking Leon in his current rage fit. He could clearly see that the challenge to solve this issue with their fists (maybe even their swords) was not an empty threat. Leon’s stare alone was almost physically hurting him, there was no way Gwaine would come out unscathered from a full blown fight. 

“Hey, calm down!” Gwaine urged. “I have no interest in exposing you or anything!” 

“So, take the kindness of a fellow Kinght and be thankful.” Leon said in a stone cold voice and if words could cut, Gwaine would be in shreds. He finally let the other’s arm go and got up, all but shoving his cloak on the brunette’s lap. 

With firm steps, Leon marched to the door and opened it violently. Seemingly unaffected by the tempest still raging outside, he stepped out and disappeared into the rain, not even bothering to close the wooden structure as he left. Gwaine stood frozen on his seat and although his eyes were transfixed on the exact point where he lost sight of the blond head, they were vacant and completely oblivious of the people rushing to prevent the water to soak the whole place. The only thing Gwaine was really aware of was the shot of adrenaline that rushed over him. His brain had unconsciously recognized Leon’s outburst as a serious menace and threw Gwaine’s body into high alert mode. His heartbeat had sped up so much that he could actually hear a thrumming sound due to the intensity with which his blood was flowing through his veins. 

After a few seconds, he let out a heavy sight that he hadn’t even realised he was holding and turned back to his table. It was true that he was always quarrelling with the older man, but for the first time he realised that those quarrels had not real heat behind them. Despite their pushes and pulls, it had always been related to their knighthood - it was always the superior performing his duties as a commander as he saw fit. This time it was different. This time Gwaine had stirred something that was hiding very deep inside of Leon and it became personal.

He took another sip of his wine, but he felt like the liquid didn’t go down as smoothly as before. He wanted to feel smug. He even willed himself to feel smug. To spook Leon was his goal, after all. But if he was honest with himself, he was actually embarrassed. Leon had been thoughtful and he answered with nothing but bitterness. The heat over his tights that the was being caused by the furred cloak still laying over them seemed to mock him. This was not the way his revenge was supposed to feel. And to add insult to the injury, his crude attitude enraged the other man enough to make the man prefer to face the heavy rain that continue in the same place as the brunette. Guilty washed over him and he pushed the mug away, unable to make anything more go past his constricted throat. 

Sighing again, he glared at the brown garment in his lap, caressing it unconsciously. He thought about going after Leon to actually apologize, but it probably would do no good. It was better to wait for Leon’s fierce mood to cool off before stepping into the blonde’s sight again. Besides, if he went now he would drench Leon’s cloak and it seemed even more disrespectful towards his previous kindness. 

Tomorrow. Tomorrow Gwaine would fix the situation. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please, let me know what you think. Comments and kudos are like a charm to stimulate my creativity!


	3. Think about it

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gwaine reflects upon the previous night events and realize a few... Scratch that, he realizes a LOT of important things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I literally finished this chapter like... five minutes ago. But I'm in a rush of excitement about it and my hands were scratching to post it for you guys. So, not even I have proofreaded it. It probably contain a lot of mistakes. Please, let me know if you find any of them, it will help me a lot! 
> 
> About the chapter, I already warn you that Leon does not make a direct appearance. The whole thing is just about Gwaine's thoughts and internal turmoil. But it is a very important chapter, because the heart of this story will be the changes in Gwaine's feelings about Leon in several levels - as a fellow Knight, as a friend, as a romantic interest, etc. And this chapter marks the beginning of it all. So, bear with me for a while so the rest of the story can at least make sense! 
> 
> I promise that the next one will have more... interesting interactions, to say the least.

Gwaine opened his eyes slowly, giving them time to adjust to the bright sunlight invading his chambers through the curtains he forgot to close during the night. Despite being awake, he laid still for several minutes, staring at the wall to which his bed was in full-length contact as if he didn’t want to acknowledge the fact that it was morning and he had to rise and perform his daily duties. After only-God-knows how many minutes, he finally resigned and turned over the mattress to get up. Of all the things that were in his room, the first one his eyes fell upon was the brown woolen cloak that he had carefully folded and placed over his table before going to sleep. As the garment came into view, together with it came the memories of the previous night’s events and they hit him like a punch. 

In an unconscious movement, his hands rose up to massage his temples in anticipation to all the headaches he knew he was going to go through during the day. He just couldn’t believe the mess that his master plan had caused. It was supposed to be so simple, he would play with Leon’s attraction and then use it to make him feel as awkward and inadequate as he makes everyone else feel. Leon was not supposed to  _ not  _ be ashamed of something that was condemned by society. Moreover, he was not supposed to be so confident about it. It was Gwaine, in turn, that was being affected by the whole ordeal. He never wanted to realize that he was the one making everything personal from the beginning, he didn’t want to lose control of his emotions and lash out because of his wounded pride and he didn’t want to be the one feeling guilty and embarrassed. And he didn’t want any of this because it all meant that he  _ cared _ . 

He knew, deep down, that Leon performed his duties as a commander with a stoic emotional indifference. That could be ascertained by the fact that he gave the same treatment to every knight. They all got their praises or reprimands accordingly to their good or bad behavior. The fact that Gwaine always got the the worst of the scoldings was only logical, both because he was naturally uncouth and had a broken moral compass and because he went to extreme lengths specifically to provoke his superior - his current failure of evil scheme being a very good example. So, while Leon played his part with efficiency and responsibility, it seemed like, as an individual, he detached himself from it. Gwaine, on the other hand, was wholly invested. He was a man of passion and not rationality. Despite all of his bravado and apparent carelessness, he took everything to the heart. Or everything that mattered, anyway.

And that was the worst realization of all. Because Gwaine never minded what the moralistic citizens - specially the old ones - thought about him. They criticized him on a daily basis, some even went to the castle to complain directly to the king (maybe, just maybe, Gwaine shouldn’t have flirted with that man’s wife). It never bothered him. In fact, it amused him to see those poor repressed souls being shocked by the freedom that ruled his life. But when the First Knight was the one to throw harsh words at him, it was irking. It made him angry, indignant, frustrated. Which meant that Leon’s opinion mattered to him. And if his opinion mattered, it meant that Gwaine’s frustration didn’t come from being called out on the things he liked nor even from being cut off from them, but from the fact that his nature couldn’t be accepted or approved by the other man.

Gwaine wasn’t prone to introspective reflections. Some would say that, despite being conceited and perpetually in love with his reflection, he consistently avoided thinking about the reasons behind the things he did or said. Being forced to face some of them now was uncanny. Living was simpler when he didn’t  _ wonder _ about things. For instance, to think about Leon as his nemesis because they were polar opposites was easier than unraveling the obscure depths their relationship actually had. Because even if he wasn’t one to do self-reflection, he also wasn’t one to do self-denial. If Leon’s opinion had value to him, it meant that the man himself was worthy of consideration, which in turn meant that somehow, albeit unconsciously and unadmittedly, he held the man in high esteem.

It was true that he had never thought about any of that. But now, dragged by the wave of honesty that was washing over him, he couldn’t help but admit to himself that there was a lot to be respected and even admired about the First Knight of Camelot. The title, by itself, was a great indicative of many qualities the blond must’ve had to deserve it. For one, he was immensely courageous, but never reckless. He wouldn’t even blink before putting his life on the line for his comrades and his people, but he wouldn’t risk it foolishly. Which lead to a second feature of his character that was undeniable - he was responsible. He had full knowledge of his duties and obligations towards the people, the importance they had and how grave would be the consequences if he made mistakes or neglected them. So, he did them with dedication and care. That’s why he was also the very definition of a reliable man. You could trust any important task to Leon with certainty that it would be done with excellence. You could also trust him with your life, because he would go to any lengths to protect the people he felt responsible for - which meant just about everyone. 

The list could go on and on. There was no doubt that Leon was intelligent, rational yet sensible, loyal, fair, et cetera. As expected, Gwaine’s head began to throb due to the turmoil of thought rolling around in it. How could a mere conversation throw things for a loop like that? In the turn of a day, the vision he had about his commander changed drastically. If he had cared to get closer to the blonde before, maybe it would have happened sooner. But in a very Gwaine-eske behavior, as soon as he got his first scolding from an uptight entitled member of the ignoble noble class, all of his prejudices took the better of him and he immediately branded the man as his natural enemy. It was unfair, really, because he had never seen Leon treat any of the common citizens with the arrogance and contempt that most nobles did. Quite contrary, really. He was attentive and respectful towards every single person as he would be towards the king himself. But that did not matter at the time, because in Gwaine’s head the situation was simple - a stupid noble with a dubiously deserved commanding position was daring to boss him around, question his choices in life and even demand changes in the very core of his personality.

He didn’t knew Leon then, so it was understandable that his complicated history with nobility would cloud his view. But after they worked together, fought together, almost died together and survived together several times, Gwaine should have conceded that the first impression he got from the man was simply wrong. But as the stubborn and conceited man that he was, he stuck with it. Admitting that there might be truth behind some of the things the other said would be admitting that he might be wrong from time to time, and that was simply unthinkable. So he made a point to provoke, enrage and defy Leon as much as he possibly could and from there on, one could imagine how sour their relationship became. And it wasn’t until their conversation on the previous night, one of the few they had that was not related to a mission or a task, that he was compelled to finally take all this things into consideration. And it only happened because he was confronted by irrefutable evidence from reality. 

The moment at the tavern was the first really personal one they shared since they met. There was no work, no mission, no order, no nothing involved. Only two men drinking and talking. And Leon showed a carefree, good-humored and kind attitude towards him, even allowing himself a harmless flirting - God save us! It was clearly different from the dutiful way he treated him in every other occasion. Gwaine, on the other hand, was petty, harsh and ill intended during all of it. And it was the first time he struck Leon on a personal level. The kind of anger the blond expressed was miles away from their usual banter. It was raw, passionate and extremely violent. Gwaine had never seen that before and it finally dawned on him that maybe, just maybe, he could have been misreading things all this while.

Remembering the sour note on which their exchange ended, Gwaine felt agitated. The realness of that rage was bothering him more than he would ever admit. He had always alleged that Leon hated him, but at some level he must have known that it was not true, because for as much as they bickered about things, they never fell apart. In the next day, they would be training or fighting together again as if nothing had happened. This time it was different, though. Gwaine wasn’t sure about what kind of reception he would get in their next encounter and it was making him anxious. Having a fall out with his commander was not the brightest move one could make for very obvious reasons. But if pressed hard enough, he would also admit - since he was admitting a lot of things anyway - that it would be upsetting to lose trustful camaraderie they had as fellow Knights. Because Gwaine could be at peace knowing that someone as trustworthy as Leon had his back and he believed that in regard their roles as combatants, the blond felt the same about him. 

With that in mind, his resolve to sort things out was strengthened. He jumped out of his bed and proceed to dress himself, taking extra care to assure that his uniform was perfectly tidied up like Leon always demanded it to be. As soon as he was done, he grabbed the cloak from his desk and strode out with determined steps, heading to the great hall where all the most trusted Knights of the king Wwere supposed to share their meals. There was only one who never missed any of them and he was the one Gwaine was looking for. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this was a slow one, as I warned in the beginning. But...! Things are about to heat up, so keep tuned! *winky face*


End file.
